10 Tips to Overcome Self-doubt and Fear of Change: the Share to Inspire Blog Meets Free At 50
Meet Ali: a blogger who shares to inspire.
Alita (Ali) Pacio is out there blogging with the goal of sharing to inspire others! In fact, that is her blog’s name. It’s something we have in common, and it makes sense that she share her perspective on this blog. Topic: overcoming self-doubt and fear of change because, well, for those of us taking the leap to ditch corporate life for one of entrepreneurship, there is dose of both.
Ali is a 28-year-old self-growth enthusiast who has a passion for improving herself, building confidence, and living the life that she loves. She created her blog to share her passion and experiences to inspire and empower fellow women in the aspects of personal growth, finance, productivity, and relationships.
She is younger than most of us GenXers hanging around the Free At 50 blog, but we can all relate to her examples and gain insight from her outlook!
Therefore, I’m excited to share another perspective with her article below, offering you ways to overcome that hesitancy we all feel when we face change, even change of our choosing because we know it will lead to happiness over contentment! I’ve even dropped some related links (that will open in new tabs), as always!
RELATED: Read my “fulfillment post” here.
Ali’s perspective.
Whenever you think about change, it never fails to send chills down your spine. The thought of going through new things, new jobs, new school, new colleagues, or new bosses makes it somehow difficult for you to embrace change.
You will always doubt yourself. I believe this is rooted in the fact that humans, by nature, are used to routines, patterns, and comfort. People want stability and security. They prefer certainty over anything else.
People yearn for predictability since this means they don’t need to face stress or anxiety that comes along with it. If you’re going through the same difficulty in life, you may find some help in this article.
Here are 10 ways on how to change your life and overcome your fears of change and self-doubt.
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
1 WRITE ABOUT IT
This may sound a little commonplace, but it helps. You have to identify the reason why you somehow despise change or dislike it. Knowing the reason why you fear change is always a great start.
So, take a journal and pour your thoughts over it. You can be as honest as you want. Being candid with what you feel helps lower your stress level or unload your mind with what’s worrying you.
Note: As a blogger, Daphne uses affiliate links sometimes! She may receive commissions from purchases on links she shares, but it does not change your price.
RELATED: Grab a journal here.
2 AVOID AVOIDANCE
Human nature has it that we sometimes tend to avoid social gatherings and decline invites. The thought of meeting new faces seems daunting for most people. This is normal, of course. However, the more you avoid such inevitability, the worse the situation becomes.
You don’t need to force yourself outright and embrace changes in your life. Take one step at a time. Treat those changes as doorways to new opportunities. Who knows - it could be one of the answers to what you’re asking for?
Image by Anrita from Pixabay
3 CHANGE YOUR MINDSET
When you think about it, life is all about mindset. The way you navigate and make the most of your life starts with your beliefs. Thus, if you believe that change is innate and permanent, you would probably find yourself worrying or fearing less.
Uncertainties in life are normal. Instead of focusing on what could go wrong, re-direct your thoughts on the potential and positive outcomes that would come right after that.
RELATED: Check out this video about shifting your mindset, recorded in my Facebook Group.
4 READ SUCCESSFUL STORIES OF OTHERS
Reading definitely is one of the practical ways for you to contain your fear of changes and self-doubts. You can also peruse YouTube for motivational clips that could boost your mood. Successful stories of others have the effect of shifting our thoughts and creating the idea that change is not so bad at all.
This is what I do from time to time as self-doubts and fear of change are my constant battle. This might not be the most ideal for everybody who is going through the same situation, but it doesn’t hurt to try and learn something out of it.
RELATED: The Free At 50 Interview Series!
5 YOU MAY DISCUSS THIS WITH CLOSE FRIENDS
You might not know but perhaps, a friend of yours is dealing with the same dilemma. If you try to vent out and share what’s bothering you, they might offer some helpful tips that are applicable in your case.
This is another challenge for you - opening up with other people. It’s intimidating but if you confide in people you are comfortable with and trust, it would mean a lot to you eventually. So, don’t be afraid to unload your burden to them.
Note from Daphne: my Facebook group is a space to meet people also working on ditching the 9-5 for good (some members already have!). Build your peer tribe: Join here.
Image by Dariusz Sankowski from Pixabay
6 SHARPEN YOUR SKILLS
Self-doubts and fear of change might have been also caused by lack of confidence and skills. If so, then it is high time for you to hone your potential in different fields. If you’re about to get a new job and you fear that you might not be able to deliver well, then you have to begin studying your craft.
Becoming an expert in an area will bring you to great heights. It could give you a sense of pride and belief in yourself. It could help you take control of your fear and help you embrace change easily.
RELATED: This Free At 50 guest post on Balancing Midlife's blog about Gen X getting out of our comfort zone!
Image by Engin Akyurt from Pixabay
7 TAKE EVERY FAILURE AS A LEARNING GROUND
Failure could either hinder one from accepting change or change someone for the better. Apparently, no one wants to fail. Everybody yearns for success. But failure is inevitable in life.
Therefore, treat failure as a learning ground where you acquire lessons and useful skills. The more open you are to failure, the better it gets. So, get comfortable with the things you cannot control such as this.
RELATED: This article on Lifehack sharing the failure (and success!) stories of 10 famous people and Margaret Bourne’s guest post sharing 5 ways of getting past failure, written for the Free At 50 blog.
8 DON’T BEAT YOURSELF UP
In meeting new colleagues, as an example of a change in your life, you may trip and fall. This means that you may act awkwardly or say things that seem weird to you and regret it later on. It maybe is quite tough to just simply shrug off the embarrassment.
But what can you do? What’s done cannot be undone. What you need to practice right now is to be kind to yourself. Everybody makes mistakes and no one is spared. Oftentimes, people don’t even remember what you did or said.
Image by inno kurnia from Pixabay
9 BE PRESENT
Every change calls for the presence of mind. You have to focus on the NOW. Know what is happening and concentrate on it. You should not be speculating the future.
If you are thinking that “what if I blow this up”; or, “what if my new boss is a walking terror," you are living in the future. It’s kind of a self-inflicted torture.
Thus, you have to learn how to be in the now and leave the future to itself. You will soon realize that being in the present is better than in the future.
10 TAKE A LEAP OF FAITH
Nothing is certain in life; only change. So, you must brace yourself and take a leap of faith. For instance, studying or living abroad could be full of uncertainties and definitely differences.
But it pays to trust in yourself that you’ll be able to get by. It shows how courageous you are. And always remember, we all learn from doing something new.
Note from Daphne: download my 6-Step Checklist to Escape the 9-5 to get started.
Changing your life starts with accepting that change itself comes every now and then.
It is something we cannot avoid. It lives and stays with us for as long as we live.
Nonetheless, a lot of opportunities likewise come with change. It takes a long journey to embrace change, but you will get there eventually. Perhaps, you just have to put a little faith in yourself!
Reach Ali:
Website: Share to Inspire blog
